The Middle
by SpiritCatcher
Summary: A songfic from Rinoa's point of view based on Jimmy Eat World's 'The Middle'. Please R+R :)


The Middle  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy or any of its characters and I don't own the song `The Middle' by Jimmy Eat World.  
  
Author's Note: I wrote this after I was listening to my Jimmy Eat World C.D and the song `The Middle' really reminded me of Rinoa so I decided to write this about her, enjoy!  
  
Hey, don't write yourself off yet. . . . .  
  
`Come on Rinoa,' Rinoa said, looking into the mirror and frowning at her own reflection. She hated the way she looked, talked, acted, everything. Why did she have to be this person that she hated. She reminded herself of her father and she defiantly hated that.  
  
It's only in your head you feel left out or looked down on. . . . .  
  
`Rinoa?' Squall said as he walked into the room and put his arms around her waist, `You okay?' She smiled. It was in her head, she was fine the way she was. Squall seemed to like her and that's all that mattered.  
  
Just try your best. . . . .  
  
`I have the SeeD exam today. . .' Rinoa murmured. She frowned again.  
  
`Oh yeah, I almost forgot. You want me to come with?' Rinoa shook her head; she was okay. As long as Squall was behind her in spirit, she would be fine.  
  
And don't you worry what they tell themselves when you're away. . . .  
  
Zell stuffed another hotdog in his mouth. `You think she'll be okay, man. She hasn't done anything like this before in her life,' he said, bits of hotdog flying all over the place.  
  
`She'll be fine. She has had some training since she got here. Squall is a masterful fighter,' Quistis remarked. She was a friend to Rinoa and had been for a long time and now Quistis thought that she could get over the fact that she was just Squall's friend, well, best friend.  
  
It just takes some time. . . . .  
  
Rinoa sat on the ship. They will all welcome me in time, she thought, I don't have to try for them. The either like me or they don't.  
  
Little girl, you're in the middle of the ride. . . .  
  
I'm just seventeen. I have the whole of my life to go. With Squall at my side. He loves me, I know he does and I love him. Just to be near him takes all the pain and suffering I've done and makes it all a distant memory.  
  
Everything, everything will be just fine,  
  
Everything, everything will be alright. . . .  
  
As she landed on the beach near Trabia she saw the carnage. She had never seen so many bodies. A sect of monsters had attacked and she was one of the SeeD candidates that had to help defeat them.  
  
`My god. . .it'll be okay,' she whispered to herself trying not to cry. She got her weapon ready and charged.  
  
Hey, you know they're all the same,  
  
You know you're doing better on your own, so don't buy in. . . .  
  
`Yo! Short cut over here! Come on!' someone called from a distance. Rinoa knew she wasn't supposed to take shortcuts. `Hey you, over their with the black hair! You coming or not?'  
  
`I. . . .no I'm not. You know we're not supposed to. It could be dangerous,' she answered as she looked down the tunnel that supposedly led to a safe place. She was fine on her own, she would not run away or buy in to `short cuts'.  
  
Live right now,  
  
Just be yourself,  
  
It doesn't matter if it's good enough for someone else. . . .  
  
Rinoa! You're back!' Selphie ran up to Rinoa and hugged her as she walked into the cafeteria. Squall looked up and jumped out of his seat and ran to her.  
  
`Are you okay, I was worried that you. . . .you're bleeding,' he said touching her scarred cheek.  
  
`I'm okay, really it's nothing,' she said. What are you doing? she thought, be yourself.  
  
`Really?' asked Squall with a look of concern that touched Rinoa deeply.  
  
`No, it hurts as hell,' she said, laughing. She and Squall walked to the infirmary hand in hand.  
  
It just takes some time,  
  
Little girl, you're in the middle of the ride,  
  
Everything, everything will be just fine,  
  
Everything, everything will be alright.  
  
Squall watched intently as Doctor Kadowaki placed a plaster carefully on Rinoa's cheek.  
  
`Okay,' she said, `Come back tomorrow and I'll give you a new one,' said Doctor Kadowaki.  
  
*Would all the students who participated in today's SeeD exam please report to the second floor hallway*  
  
`That's my cue,' Rinoa said, standing up. Squall touched her hand.  
  
`You want me to come?' he said, his grey-blue eyes full of the new found hope that Rinoa now loved.  
  
`Yes, please, I need you.' They proceeded to the second floor hallway as the announcement had told them.  
  
Do your best. . . .  
  
I did my best.  
  
Do everything you can. . . .  
  
I did everything I could.  
  
It doesn't matter what they're bitter hearts are gonna say. . . .  
  
A man walked in with a scroll. Squall held Rinoa close and kissed her forehead.  
  
`Rinoa Heartilly of Squad A? Congratulations. That is all'  
  
Author's note: What do you think? It's my longest fic yet and my VERY FIRST songfic. Please R+R for my own health! ;) 


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